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Declutter Challenge – Day 8 of the Zero Waste Challenge

31 Day Zero Waste Challenge

Last Updated on October 3, 2022

This declutter challenge will help you get your home and life in order. Get rid of things that you don’t need in a zero waste way!

We challenge you to take on this project so you can declutter and organize your life. Stick to a decluttering schedule and feel good about your home and everything in it.

declutter challenge

declutter and organize

It’s day eight of the zero waste challenge! The beginning of the challenge focused on simple swaps like bringing your own water bottle and bags to the grocery store.

Now, we’re entering into the second phase of the challenge. These changes are lifestyle changes like learning to make your own snacks and decluttering your life.

There’s a belief that when you organize and declutter, you can’t live zero waste. But I firmly believe both principles to be very complementary and that you can declutter and organize while living zero waste; it just takes some work. 

We are detached from the stuff we purchase and own.

When we go zero waste, plastic free, or go down the path of minimalism, we experience a re-awakening and a connection with our consumerism. 

What we once used to consume blindly, we’re now hyper-aware of.

This not only applies to new things crossing our threshold, but all of the stuff that’s living in the basement, the attic, and in the far reaches under our bed.

Once we start experiencing this connection with our stuff and our consumerism, we begin to ask ourselves a lot of questions like… how did I consume SO much, and why did I waste so much money? 

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minimalism decluttering

We consume A LOT of stuff! Like we talked about on day one.

The self-storage industry is booming. It’s currently a $38 billion industry. (source)

Our home size has tripled since the 1950s, and we can’t help but accumulate and fill it with stuff. (source)

We wind up buying a lot of stuff that we don’t need and don’t really use.

The reason it’s important to declutter and organize is to redistribute your resources. It’s important that we start looking at our belongings as resources and begin the process of minimalism decluttering. 

There are no wild blenders people pick from trees. Although, imagining a blender tree is pretty hilarious.

All of our stuff is created from different resources, and it takes a lot of energy to assemble and distribute.

If we have items in our possession that aren’t being used, then we should ask ourselves if we could distribute them to help new products from being created.

When you redistribute your resources, you’re actually saving new resources from being extracted. 

Conserving resources is directly related to living a zero waste lifestyle, and I believe this to be the biggest correlation between minimalism decluttering and zero waste. 

organize and declutter

When you put yourself on a decluttering schedule, you can declutter and organize the items you already own, but you also need to consider what you purchase to begin with.

  1. Go through your belongings and see if there’s anything you don’t need. Ask yourself a series of questions.
    1. Do I need this?
    2. Have I used this within the last month?
    3. Could someone else use this more than me?
    4. Could I borrow this from a friend or family member – do I need to own it?
  2. Be vigilant when shopping! Make sure to ask yourself a series of questions about the possessions that will be coming into your home in the future.
    1. Wait 30 days before making a purchase to make sure the item will truly fit into your home and lifestyle.
    2. Do I really need this?
    3. Will this complement what I already have?
    4. Is it multipurpose? i.e. will it go with more than one thing in my closet, can I use it for more than one purpose in the kitchen?
    5. Do I have something similar?

As you begin to organize and declutter, also keep in mind where you’re going to send your donations. You shouldn’t just drop them all off at the thrift store — truly try to find better homes for them. For tips on finding the best place to donate your belongings, see the video below.

take the declutter challenge:

I challenge you to pick a room in your house and declutter and organize it. If you’re struggling with what to do with the item, follow the series of prompts above.

And for the next 23 days, if you’re tempted to buy something new, ask yourself the series of questions above and place a waiting period before buying. Mine is 30 days, and it prevents SO many unnecessary purchases.

Are you taking the declutter challenge?

frequently asked questions

what rooms should I organize during the declutter challenge?

Every room, drawer, and closet can be added to your decluttering schedule. You don’t need to do it all in one day. Spread it out into smaller pieces so it’s manageable and so you don’t become overwhelmed. Maybe start with a drawer, then work your way to a closet, until everything has been decluttered.

what do I do with the items I have decluttered?

There are many options out there! Be sure to watch my video below for more details. A few ideas are to donate items to a women’s shelter or hop on Facebook and join a group for people looking to swap items or take donations.

want more?

Just starting out? Have 1,000 burning questions!? Get access to my private Facebook group, where I’ll be hosting weekly lives throughout the challenge and I answer all of your most pressing questions.

PLUS! I’ll be sending out a brand new e-book at the end of the challenge called the Game On Handbook which is all about individual ways to fight climate change.

You don’t want to miss it.

miss a day?

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  1. Today I decluttered the coat /toy closet. To my surprise I found 10 soccer balls…. off to have a convo with my family to scale the silliness down!

  2. I love social media for giving items away. I am a part of a wonderful group where mothers trade items they do not need and request items from other moms. No one can charge or pay for things, but trading is allowed. I love it and have given so many clothes away to children I KNOW will use them and am helping out my neighbors.